Category Archives: Economics and the like

Universal Health Care & Personal Health Concerns

On a pandagon thread about socialized medicine, a commenter called Catty writes, “I know 2 die-hard libertarians that are now universal health care supporters. Funny how problems like multiple sclerosis and cancer can change people’s minds.” I have always supported … Continue reading

Posted in Class, poverty, labor, & related issues, Disabled Rights & Issues, Economics and the like | 331 Comments

A Cartoon about Subprime Mortgages

“Subprime mortgages.” Boy, I sure pick exciting topics, don’t I? TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON This cartoon has six panels, with a caption at bottom. The caption says “GOING TO THE SCARY PLACE.” All the panels depict two woman, talking as they … Continue reading

Posted in Cartooning & comics, Class, poverty, labor, & related issues, Economics and the like | 54 Comments

Social Class, Food Service, and Schools

For some reason this post at Women of Color Blog and this post at the way here reminded me of my childhood, and the social class dynamics of growing up poor.  In her post on Women of Color blog BFP … Continue reading

Posted in Class, poverty, labor, & related issues, Economics and the like, Families structures, divorce, etc | 40 Comments

The problem with nonprofits

From an essay called The Revolution Will Not Be Funded; a later draft of this essay appears, I believe, in the book of the same name. The corporate nonprofit structure encouraged by tax law doesn’t just promote financial short-sightedness through … Continue reading

Posted in Economics and the like | 25 Comments

Review: Rosita

I went to see Rosita in theHuman Rights Film Festival this weekend. Rosita’s parents were from Nicaragua, but they moved to Costa Rica to find work. Her father worked as a itinerant coffee picker, her mother sometimes joined him in … Continue reading

Posted in Abortion & reproductive rights, Class, poverty, labor, & related issues, Economics and the like, Feminism, sexism, etc, International issues, Rape, intimate violence, & related issues | 3 Comments

Positive Trends: Americans Are More Progressive Than We Think We Are

From Ruy Teixeira, via Ezra: Given that virtually no important politician in America would dare support a guaranteed basic income in public, it’s interesting that most Americans favor a guaranteed basic income of some sort. And let me add this … Continue reading

Posted in Class, poverty, labor, & related issues, Economics and the like | 15 Comments

Why Does This Article on Tween Girls and Shopping Bother Me So Much?

I read this in the New York Times yesterday, and it didn’t sit well with me. Here is a quote: But on this day I’ve come not to bury Abercrombie. I am here to observe my daughter and her two … Continue reading

Posted in Economics and the like, Gender and the Economy, Media criticism, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 37 Comments

Silly – poor people don't get choices

Brownfemipower has a really interesting post about the governer of Texas’s decision to make the HPV vaccine compulsory for all girls sixth grade or above. This would also make the vaccine available for free for those who were uninsured or … Continue reading

Posted in Abortion & reproductive rights, Economics and the like, Feminism, sexism, etc | 127 Comments

The Minimum Wage In Washington And Idaho

From The New York Times, via The Economist’s View blog, we learn that small business owners in Washington state have not been harmed by Washington state’s relatively high minimum wage — not even businesses in tows that border Idaho, where … Continue reading

Posted in Economics and the like, Minimum Wage | 17 Comments

Young Black Men, The Economy, Crime, And Punishment

Via Ezra, an interesting interview with Bruce Western, author of Punishment And Inequality In America. Here’s a couple of sample quotes: What were some of the striking elements of your research? There were two things that I found particularly striking. … Continue reading

Posted in Economics and the like, Race, racism and related issues, Sexism hurts men | 1 Comment